Means for barber pole illumination



June. 9, 1931. M. w. BEGER 1,808,880

MEANS F OR BARBER POLE ILLUMINATION Filed NOV. 27. 1929 INVENToR. y MORRIS 1M BERGER ATToREY.

Patented June 9, 1931 MORRIS W. BERGER, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA MEAN S FOR BARBER POLE ILLUMINATION Application. med November 27, 1929. serai No. 419,157.

The present invent-ion relates, generally, to improvements in display advertising devices, but more particularly to improvements in mechanically operated killuminated barber poles.

c The latest type of barber pole commonly in use at the present time consists of a cylindrical glass case in which is mounted a revolvable transparent cylinder operated by means of power generated by al spring motor mounted in the lower end of the case. The revolvable cylinder is provided with spirally arranged stripes alternately colored red, white, and blue, andthe interior of said revolvable cylinder is provided with means for its illumination at night by an interiorly arranged electric globe.

The device or" the present invention consists of the usual cylindrical glass case and support and the usual driving motor, but `the inner revolvable cylinder is constructed of fibre and is provided with encircling incrt-gas tubes of spiral form having correspondingly colored stripes forming abackground for the tubes and intermediate stripes of white spirally arranged between the colored stripes thereof.

The tubes, as thus arranged about the bre cylinder, consist of alternating blue ,and red colors and these tubes are each `formed from -a single piece of tubing bent upon itself and rolled in spiral form about the cylinder with the ree ends terminating in electrodes arranged in pairs in the lower c end of the cylinder.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an attractive illuminated display device of the class indicated, which embodies spirally arrangedlinert-gas tubes the convolutions of which are alternately arranged as to colors.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an illuminated barber pole of the class indicated, which embodies novel means for causing the energizationof the electrodesv of the different sets of tubes, as the cylinder carrying these tubes is rotated in the case.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanically operated illuminated display device in which the' inert-gas tubes forming the double spirals may be in- ,tubes in place thereon and Imounted for rotation in the usual type of barber pole case,

.which is indicated in dot-and-dasli outline,

as it forms no part of the present invention;

lserted over the cylinder or removed there- Figure 2 is a perspective view indicating v the spiral arrangement of the tubes aboutl the revolvable cylinder in alternate arrangement, as to colors, and also indicating the positioning of the terminals, or electrodes, of the tubeswithin the cylinderV end; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the case and the cylinder .and illustrates the upper set of electrodes and theu contact brush therefor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which the preferred form of my invention .is illustrated, the numeral 5, in'a general way, designates the usual barber pole case, having a lower support 6 and an upper illuminated housing "Z, between which is mounted a fixed cylindrical glass case 8.'

The inner cylinder 9 is revolvable in the case 8, and comprises a cylindrical tube of brous material having libre end discs 10 and 11 and a third fibre disc 12 arranged above the lower disc 10. An upper fibre support 13 is arranged in the housing 7 and is suitably secured in place by bolts, or the like, 111, said support 13 having a central opening through which a ixed metal tube 15 extends, said tube forming the axis of rotation of the cylinder 9 and terminating at the bottom face of the disc 12.

A fibre` tube 16 is fitted inside the brassV tube 15 and forms a tight fit therein, the

lower end of said\tube 16 extending below the lower end of the tube 15 and provided at its 2 1,sos,sso

` 10 ts within this flanged spider, said spider having a downwardly extending driving pindle 19 havin tting into a soc et carried by the s ring motor 21, which is arranged 1n the ower end of the case and `windable by means of a crank (not shown), the motor carrying the full weight of the cylinder 9 and its tubes. The discs 10 and 12 are each provided with fixed metal plates 22 and 23, respectively, the plate 22 bein provided with an upwardly extending stu -shaft 24 forming a turning fit in the metal sleeve 17, which is ixedly secured to the lower end of the fibre tube 16.

The plate 12 is provided with atwiping contact clip 25 and the plate 22 is provided with a likel clip 26. The 'clip against the brass tube 15 and the clip 26 bears against the metal sleeve 17, said plates A 22 and 23 being fully insulated from all metal parts by the libre discs 10 and 12 and the ibre tube 16.

The primary wire 27' of the electric cirl cuit enters .the inner fibre tube 16 and exl ci tends downwardly therethrough and is secured to the Vsleeve 17, and the secondary wire 28 is connected to the outer metal tube 15, so that both clips 25 and 26 and plates 22 and 23 are energized at all times when the electrical circuit is energized. A translformer, of course, is placed'in this line, as

is the usual practise, but, as it has no connection with the present invention, it has' been omitted from the drawings.

Ihe cylinder 9 is provided with a set of spirallydisposed inert-gas tubes 29 and 30, these tubes being bent uponthemselves, or doubled, and then coiled about the surface of the cylinder in alternate arrangement.

vFor instance, the tube 29 is irst bent around the upper end of the cylinder, as indicated at 31, with its intermediate sections 32 and 33 spirally disposed about the cylinder and terminating in upbent electrodes 34 and 35, said tube bein provided with'a gas combi` nation to pro uce a blue light.

The tube 30 is looped, as indicated at 36, and its intermediate spiral convolutions 37 and 38 are alternately arranged with respect to the convolutions 32 and 33 of the tube- 29, as indicated in Figure 2, said convolutions terminating in upbent electrodes 39 and 40, `and rovided with a neon gas adapted--to-pro uce a redlight.`

The cylinder 9 is notched at its lower edge, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, so that the various extremities/of the tubes -including the electrodes may""'be worked through the discs 10 and 12 whenthe tubes are sllpped over the cylinder in assemblingk the device, or in'repairing the same.

a 'squared lower end 20 25 bears The electrodes 34 and 39 are electrically connected to the plate `22 by means of suit-- able wires 41 and 42, respectively, and the.

electrodes 35 and 40 are electrlcally connected to the plate 23 by means of suitable I viding alternate white stripes 44 therebev stripes and tubes, when illuminated, presenting the tri colors red, white, and blue in spiral formation about the cylinder.

, When in operation the cylinder 9 is rotated bythe spring motor 21 about the fixed tube 15 and the spring contact clips 25 and 26 contactinothe tube 15 and the sleeve 17 respectively, cause the energization of the various electrodes 34, 35, 39 and 40 and the consequent illumination oftheir respective tubes 29 and 30, to ge ott a blue and a red light with the divi g white stri therebetween.

aving thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, the following 1. In a device of the class described, a revolvable o aque cylinder, independent inert-gas "tu es semi-spirally arranged about said cylinder and having their intermediate sections alternatin with each other and their electrodes positioned within an adjacent end of the cylinder, said tubes containingfinert7ga'ses of diverse ch acter,

and adapted, when illuminated, toxyay tween, as clearly indicated in Figure 2, the

2.'In a device of the class described, a l

revolvable c linder having a fixed axial support extending therethrough about which it rotates, a plurality of inert-,gas tubes arranged semi-spirall about said cylinder'and adapted to rotate t erewith, each consisting of a looped section and splrally wound in termediate sections, the intermediate sections thereof being alternately arranged relative. to each other and terminating in independent electrodes and sup orts within said cylinder for said electro es.

3. In a device of. the class described, a

revolvable cylinder of non-electric conductor material having a fixed axial support about which it rotates, a plurality of doubled inert-gas tubes arra d spirall from end to end of said cylinne consisting of a looped' section and intermediate semi-spiral' convolutions arranged minating in electrodes, supports within the cylinder for said electrodes', said tubes con-v taining gases of such character asto adapt er and eac irs .in alternate relationto each other and ter-i` I them when illumined, to display alternate colors of red and blue and electrical contact means carried by said supports.

4. In a device of the class described, a revolvable display unit comprising a 'fibre cylinder having libre end discs and an intermediate ibre disc secured therein, a pair of inert-gas tubes spirally disposed about said cylinder from end to end thereof, said tubes being looped about the upper end of the cylinder and having their intermediate sections spirally woundwthereabout in alternate relation and terminating in electrodes arranged in pairs, one pair of which is positioned above the lower end disc and the other pair above the intermediate disc within the cylinder.

5. In a device of the class described as elaimed'in claim 4 and including, means for the energization of said electrodes t0 cause the illumination of said tubes.

6. In a device of the class described as claimed in claim 4, and includin means for the energization of .said electro es to cause the independent illumination of said tubes, and means for rotating said cylinder.

7. A lighting unit for a pole comprising a rotatable cylinder of non-conducting material, a lower end member for said cylinder, a central fixed tube extending through said cylinder and supported loosely on said end member, an inert gas tube mounted on the exterior of said cylinder and rotatable therewith, electrodes Within said cylinder for the ends of said gas tube, and means carried by said fixed tube for connecting said electrodes to a source of electrical energy. l

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature,

MORRIS W. BERGER. 

